• In-country travel: the assignment is office-based in Vientiane Capital (MOH/DDC). The Consultant may be required to undertake up to two in-country trips (up to six travel days in total) to selected provinces, districts or Points of Entry for consultations, field verification and validation of draft documents (for example, the PoE review under PSRF 1.4.3 and 3.3.2). Destinations, timing and duration will be agreed in advance with DDC and UNICEF based on operational needs. Travel costs are covered by UNICEF in line with its rules, separately from the professional fee. Travel as per operational needs, reimbursed separately.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Terms of Reference TMC0007961.pdf

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To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have...

Education:

Post graduate degree in Public health, epidemiology, medicine, health policy, law or another relevant field. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

Work Experience:

• Minimum five years of progressively responsible professional experience in public health, health security, disease control or health policy.

• Proven track record of drafting national-level strategies, action plans, standards, SOPs, protocols and/or MOUs or other legal instruments for the MOH or other government institutions in Lao PDR; candidates must list documents drafted or co-drafted and provide one writing sample.

• Experience in at least three of the following: disease surveillance and early warning; joint risk assessment; Points of Entry and IHR (2005) core capacities; health emergency operations and Incident Management Systems; infection prevention and control; pandemic influenza preparedness; NAPHS, JEE or SPAR processes.

• Experience leading or facilitating multisectoral consultation and validation processes with senior government officials and partners, including in a One Health context.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English (spoken and written) is required, including the ability to draft formal policy, technical and legal texts.

Fluency in Lao is a strong advantage.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

• Excellent analytical and writing skills; able to turn complex technical and stakeholder input into clear, well-structured and implementable documents.

• Sound knowledge of the Lao legal and policy-making process, government structures and endorsement procedures, particularly in the health sector.

• Strong technical knowledge of health security, the One Health approach, IHR (2005), surveillance, emergency response and IPC systems.

• Ability to develop results frameworks, implementation plans and basic costing for strategies and plans.

• Strong facilitation and consensus-building skills; proficiency in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

• Highly organized, diplomatic and respectful of government ownership; able to manage several documents in parallel; committed to gender equality, equity and inclusion and the highest standards of integrity.

• Formal training in health policy, health security, IHR (2005), One Health, emergency management, field epidemiology (FETP) or legislative drafting.

• Experience with a United Nations agency (e.g., UNICEF, WHO, FAO, IOM) or a donor-funded health security programme (strongly preferred).

• Experience in costing health plans, or in designing training programmes for PoE, PHEOC or hospital staff.

• Fluency in Lao, including the ability to translate accurately between Lao and English.

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